I. Technical Field
The present invention relates to methods and systems for assigning an attribute value to an object in a computer system.
II. Background Information
Computer systems, when running a computer program, typically include a user interface through which a user can assign attribute values to attributes of an object. For example, the object may be an item in a database to which keywords can be assigned that are helpful when searching in the database. In such a system, an object identification (such as a name) is presented in a graphical program interface of the running program. The graphical program interface has a control via which the user can activate a pop-up menu to assign suitable attribute values to the object. The pop-up menu is a second program interface provided with controls via which the user can assign the values to the object in the program interface of the running program.
However, in such a system, the pop-up menu prohibits the user from accessing the running program via the graphical program interface. When assigning the values, the user may want to see what values are already assigned to the attributes of the object. To do so, however, the pop-up menu must be closed. Furthermore, the pop-up menu can obscure parts of the graphical interface of the running program and may for example obscure the object identification. Such a system is inconvenient to the user. In view of the foregoing, there is a need for methods and systems for more efficiently assigning an attribute value in a computer system.